📝 Creating a Birth Plan That Honors Your Values and Your Body

Introduction: Your Birth, Your Vision

Birth is one of the most powerful experiences in a woman’s life. It’s a moment where your body’s innate wisdom, your emotions, and your environment come together in a sacred event. And while we know birth doesn’t always go exactly as planned, having a thoughtful, aligned birth plan can help you feel grounded, informed, and supported—no matter how things unfold.

At Solstice Chiropractic, we work closely with expectant moms in Colorado Springs who are preparing for birth without intervention, home births, birth center experiences, and hospital deliveries alike. Whether you’re 8 weeks or 38 weeks, this guide will help you create a birth plan that reflects your values, preferences, and needs—physically, emotionally, and neurologically.

What Is a Birth Plan and Why Does It Matter?

A birth plan is a written outline of your preferences for labor, delivery, and immediate postpartum care. It’s a communication tool that helps your providers—whether OBs, midwives, nurses, or doulas—understand your wishes and support your vision.

But more than that, a birth plan is a way to get clear on what matters most to YOU:

• Your desired birth environment

• Who you want present

• What interventions you do or don’t want

• How you’d like to manage discomfort

• How your baby is cared for immediately after birth

While birth is unpredictable, the act of preparing your mind and body ahead of time helps reduce fear, build confidence, and regulate your nervous system for a smoother, more connected experience.

The Nervous System and Birth: Why It’s the Missing Piece

Most birth plans focus on logistics—location, lighting, who’s in the room. But the truth is, your nervous system state during labor is one of the most important factors affecting how birth unfolds.

When your nervous system is in a parasympathetic state (safe, calm, connected), labor typically progresses more efficiently. But when your body is in fight-or-flight, your muscles may tense, labor may stall, and decisions can feel rushed or overwhelming.

That’s why prenatal chiropractic care plays a vital role in birth prep. Through gentle, nervous system-based adjustments, we help moms:

• Release physical tension in the pelvis and spine

• Improve communication between brain and body

• Regulate stress hormones like cortisol

• Create space for optimal baby positioning

• Build confidence and trust in their body

A regulated nervous system is a prepared body. And that’s the foundation of any powerful birth plan.

Step-by-Step: How to Create Your Birth Plan

Here’s a simple, supportive way to get started:

1. Start with Your Core Values

Ask yourself:

• What kind of birth experience do I envision? (Empowered, peaceful, natural, connected…)

• What’s most important to me? (Informed choice? Minimal intervention? Emotional support?)

• What fears or concerns do I want to prepare for?

These answers will shape every decision that follows.

2. Choose Your Birth Location and Provider

Are you planning to give birth:

• At home with a midwife?

• In a birth center?

• In a hospital setting?

Each option comes with different protocols and interventions. Select a provider who respects your values and is willing to honor your preferences while keeping you and baby safe. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, switch providers if needed, or bring a doula into your care team.

3. Decide on Your Support Team

Your birth team might include:

• Partner or spouse

• Doula

• Midwife or OB

• Chiropractor (prenatal adjustments up to labor!)

• Photographer or videographer

• Siblings or family members (if appropriate)

Consider who brings calm, strength, and encouragement to your space. Set boundaries with others who may bring anxiety or pressure.

4. Outline Preferences for Labor and Delivery

Include details like:

• Pain management preferences (movement, water, breathwork, epidural, etc.)

• Positions you’d like to labor or push in

• Use of birth tools (peanut ball, birthing stool, TENS unit, etc.)

• Monitoring preferences (intermittent or continuous)

• Interventions you wish to avoid unless medically necessary (Pitocin, episiotomy, vacuum, etc.)

💡 Tip: Be flexible. Sometimes plans shift in the moment. That’s okay—your plan is your starting point, not a script.

5. Post-Birth Preferences

• Immediate skin-to-skin and delayed cord clamping

• Breastfeeding initiation

• Newborn procedures (eye ointment, vitamin K, bath timing)

• Who holds baby first

• Rooming-in vs nursery care

• Placenta encapsulation or delayed disposal

This is also the time to consider postpartum support: chiropractic care, lactation support, pelvic floor therapy, and emotional check-ins are all essential in the “fourth trimester.”

6. Put It All Together—Keep It Clear and Gentle

Your final birth plan should:

• Be 1–2 pages long

• Use bullet points or short sentences

• Reflect your tone—calm, confident, respectful

• Acknowledge flexibility while advocating for your needs

Bring printed copies for your provider, hospital bag, and doula—and consider discussing it in advance with your team.

How Chiropractic Supports Your Birth Plan

At Solstice Chiropractic, we’re more than providers—we’re part of your support system. As Webster Certified chiropractors, we specialize in gentle adjustments that help prepare the body for birth, regulate the nervous system, and align your intentions with your physiology.

Many of our moms come in for care:

• To relieve round ligament or pelvic pain

• To encourage optimal baby positioning

• To reduce labor anxiety and stress

• To feel empowered, connected, and strong leading into their birthing day

Whether your plan includes a birth tub, affirmations on the wall, or simply a safe and supported experience, chiropractic care is a tool to help you walk in with more ease, clarity, and connection.

Call to Action: Let’s Prepare for Birth, Together

If you’re building your birth plan and want to give your body the best start, let’s connect. At Solstice Chiropractic in Colorado Springs, we walk alongside expectant moms with nervous system-based care that empowers you to trust your body, calm your mind, and embrace your unique birth journey.

📅 Schedule your prenatal consultation today and let’s light the path to your most aligned birth yet.